Charades
by twiniitowers
Summary: Eric and Hyde both learn that there is a price to be paid for keeping secrets. Mild slash, drama, romance, angst, and friendship. Please read and review.
1. That '70s Pilot

**From the years 1976 - 1980**

**(Note: Not all episode titles will have a chapter)  
**

**Charades**

**Chapter 1**

**That '70s Pilot  
**

Eric was frozen as lay on top of the Vista Cruiser. He didn't know where his life was

taking him, but he didn't like it very much. The gang just got back to their homes in Point

Place, Wisconsin when Donna just had to kiss him. Eric came to the sudden conclusion

that he was going to be in misery for the rest of his damn pathetic life if he kept trying to

be what everyone saw him as. He was either labeled the All-American everyman on one

hand or the standard Red-esque "Dumbass" on the other.

_She kissed him and he had to pretend that he liked it. _

He had to pretend he wanted to go the Rundgren concert. But after seeing the mechanic who

replaced the Cruiser's battery at the concert made Eric realize that life was too short for

such vagueness.

How could he explain things to Fez? When he couldn't even live the life he wanted? Be

with the person he wanted the most?

"Forman,"

"Hyde! You scared the Hell out of me. I thought you went home."

"I did, but Edna has another "Uncle" over so I thought I'd crash in your basement. Are Red

and Kitty still up?"

"The only light that is on is the porch light, so I don't think so."

_Why did he have to come back? _

_Why?_

"So…"

"So what?"

"What happened between you and Donna, man?"

Eric slid off the Vista Cruiser and almost fell, yeah, there was that label too: Eric the

Clumsy. Only when he was nervous. And hey, without anyone else around to partake in

the burn, Hyde didn't make fun of his friend for his awkward landing.

"She kissed me."

"Are you two officially a couple yet?"

"I don't want to talk about it."

They made their way to the basement as Eric fumbled for the light switch. Eric decided to

ignore Hyde and walk up the stairs, but then something internal made him turn around

and go back down the stairs as Hyde sat in his favorite white chair and turned on the TV.

"I'm so sick of lying." He whispered. "You don't have to say it back, and oh god, I want

to puke………I think I love you Steven Hyde…………"

And there was no thinking it, he really did have to throw up, Eric was so embarrassed

that he wished he was dead, he covered up his mouth as he ran up the stairs.

Eric brushed his teeth and decided there was no way he could go back down to the

basement. No way in Hell could face his best friend since grade school ever again.

There's no reason to assume that even he felt the same way. All he wanted to do was

throw himself on his bed and sleep forever. He jumped about five feet in the air when

Hyde was sitting at the foot of his bed. He looked different without his sunglasses on.

More handsome and slightly vulnerable.

"Stop scaring me!"

"Sorry about that. Close the door, man."

"I get it. You don't want to be my friend anymore. I totally get it."

"No, Forman, you don't get it," Hyde walked over to Eric and put his hands on his

shoulders, "Are you okay? Are you done being sick?"

"I'm fine."

"Then let me kiss you, Eric," it was much more satisfying than the kiss from Donna 30

minutes ago, "I've always wanted you…well I didn't know in what way until your 14th

birthday party."

It felt so good to get that revelation off his chest.

Eric slightly pulled away, his cheeks crimson.

"What?"

"Eric, do you think that you are the only one that has to pretend? When Edna started

saying Rachel from the grocery store was a queer lesbian, I knew I couldn't say a word. I

have uncles, real ones, not her boyfriends, that have beat up guys in bars for being gay

because god forbid, they didn't go to their own bar when they went out for the night. And

Kitty and Red, as great as your parents are…do you think they'd be supportive? Your

Mother…maybe. Red? I can see foots going in both our asses and it won't be pretty."

This was a very big speech for Steven Hyde; the only thing Eric could do was sit at his

desk and let him continue, "So you see? It stays here in your room. Not the basement, not

with the guys and Jackie and Donna around. I love you so much, Forman, that I'm going

to say something to you, that you cannot tell another soul, do you promise?"

"Yes…you have me worried, Hyde."

"Don't be. You're going to have to continue the charade with Donna. I'll date my usual

punk chicks, and then we'll meet up here at 2 a.m. It will be our regular time. I'll sneak

out your window and it just has to be that way. The world is a terrible place, Forman."

"Do I get a say in any of this?"

"You don't get it, man. You're too sheltered. You have to understand we can't be a

real couple, and I love you for thinking we could be boyfriends and it would be all

sunshine and flowers. It's not. But right now, we have this bed here, and your folks are

sleeping, and we can just cuddle, if you want."

Eric swallowed as he whispered, "I'd really like that, Steven."

Hyde turned off the light and was amused over the Spider-Man night light that gave the

room a candlelit appearing glow.

"You're all I want, Forman, but outside in the real world it's just not possible. You have

to see Donna tomorrow and move to the next level with her."

"I'll do whatever you want," it felt so good to be in his arms as Eric rested his head on

Hyde's chest, "I love you."

"I love you too, Eric."

5 a.m.

When Eric opened up his eyes and realized the gravity of the situation that he was indeed all alone, he clutched

the pillow that Hyde rested his head on just hours ago as he cried softly into it as to not disturb his sleeping

parents across the hall.


	2. Eric's Birthday

**Chapter 2**

**Eric's Birthday**

When Hyde saw Donna and Jackie run into the Vista Cruiser to talk about Eric and Kelso, he presumed, it best

to go into silly mode, make arm-pit noises and carry Fez around the Forman backyard in an acceptable

non-homosexual way. Eric's birthday was just around the corner and Kitty was planning one of her trademark

parties. Sure, Mrs. Forman was slightly quirky, but Hyde wished he had a mother like that. It hurt Hyde to see

the pain in Eric's eyes; Forman was never good at camouflaging his pain like Hyde was. Laurie was coming home

from the University of Wisconsin so that was good news for Hyde in that her appearance would keep Kelso

occupied. Donna and Jackie were probably talking about birthday presents, and what kind of present do you get

your boyfriend? Hyde knew he was getting Eric some cassettes for the new cassette player that Red was going

to buy for the Vista Cruiser. Some Led Zeppelin and Aerosmith. It wasn't fair that Donna and Jackie were able to

have these conversations when Hyde loved Eric more than Donna ever possibly could and all he could publicly

give him were some cheap "borrowed" re-shrinked wrapped cassettes.

When Kelso was downstairs fawning over the newly arrived Laurie who was wearing just a University of

Wisconsin sweatshirt and Fez, of course, also loved the free show and Eric was busy telling Laurie to put some

pants on and that if she told Kitty that Eric was too old to be having a birthday party, he might consider letting

her use the wagon, Hyde walked out the basement door and up the stairs. He saw Kitty exiting the Toyota and

carrying 2 paper grocery bags. He pushed open the sliding kitchen doors for her.

"Thank you, Steven."

"You're welcome, Mrs. Forman."

He said he was going to leave, but that wasn't the truth. He hated to lie to such a sweet woman, but it had to

be done. Red was still at work, his hours were being cut at the plant to part-time due to the popularity of

Japanese made cars like the Toyota that Mrs. Forman just parked in the driveway.

Hyde quietly sprinted up the stairs to Eric's room and closed the door. It only took five minutes for Eric to come

upstairs and open the door.

"Ssh," Hyde put a finger to his lips and kissed him, "I waited all day for that."

"Hyde! My Mom's home." And so was Laurie, if she found out about them, they might as well pack their bags and

move to Canada now.

"I know that she is. I opened the door for her."

"It's not 2 a.m." Eric scolded

"Do you think I'm going to tear off your clothes and make passionate love to you right now?"

"That would be nice/That would be nice." They said in unison

"Yes, yes!" Eric laughed

"Here's the plan for tomorrow night…."

"You act like I can't….."

"You'll deviate…."

"No, I won't…."

"Forman! After you get your present from Donna whenever that is. I can tell her and Jackie are planning

something, kiss her goodnight, and meet me in your room."

"You always think well under pressure, Steven."

"It's called survival. I'll see you in here at midnight…."

"You want to be here for my birthday………."

"And I will be giving you your birthday whacks!"

Hyde could hear Mrs. Forman coming up the stairs, "I'll take the window. Later, Forman."

Steven Hyde slyly smiled on the inside, he knew exactly what he was going to give Forman for his birthday, and

there was no way that Donna could compete with it.

**11:50 p.m.**

Hyde thought Laurie would never leave. Why would she need for Red and Kitty to go upstairs for the night when

she was over 18? He had to quietly laugh when he saw Eric sleeping in his bed. This was going to be good.

Hyde went over to Eric as he kneeled down to brush the hair out of his eyes.

"Forman, wake up." He kissed him to accomplish this task.

"Hmm. Steven. Why are you here so early?" He rubbed the sleep out of his eyes.

"Relax, your parents went to bed later than you!" He was such a prude, that Hyde found it very endearing.

Eric propped the pillows against his back so he could sit up.

Hyde looked at his watch as he straddled himself over Eric's body.

What if he puked again? He better do this right.

Hyde took Eric's hands and kissed them, "If at any time you get scared, man, you can tell me to stop, and I will."

Eric's heart started beating at a more rapid pace. "I'm okay."

"Good." Hyde watched the 2 hands on his watch meet at the 12 position, "Happy Birthday, Eric." He kissed him

on the lips and as he kept going down, Eric realized just what Hyde was giving him for his birthday present as he

felt Hyde take his pajama bottoms off.

Eric closed his eyes trying so hard to forget that Red and Kitty were in the same house. What if there was a fire?

He stopped at Eric's stomach; he thought his heart would stop beating completely.

"You sure, man?"

"y-es, y-es." He replied in his usual twitchy way when he was nervous over a situation. Eric needed to do

something with his hands so he put them on Hyde's shoulders and went in a soothing back and forth motion.

He wondered what Hyde and Donna both saw in him?

Eric's eyes fluttered as Hyde satisfied him orally, he didn't want him to stop, oh God, he didn't want him to ever

stop. Forman wondered what his penis tasted like. He got nervous thinking what if he had to reciprocate the

act?

Hyde was too confident to Eric. Did he do this before? There's no way this was his first time giving a blow-job.

Oh, shit.

Eric tried to stop himself from mentally unraveling…his body was going to do the most embarrassing thing in the

world. It would make the revealing to Hyde his love for him and running upstairs to the throw up seem mild in

comparison.

_He wanted to die._

**After:**

"Don't look at me," Eric turned to his side and put the blankets over his face. "I don't want you to see me."

Hyde snuggled tighter next to him and wrapped his arms around his lanky frame.

"It's okay, Forman…you held out longer than I thought you would…but I bet you started thinking!"

"You're too good, Steven….There is NO way, I could've been your first."

"Does it matter? I'm with you now."

"I guess you have a point."

"Thank you."

Eric thought he heard the sound of a car door slamming in the driveway.

"Is that Laurie? Please check…."

"Fine," Actually Forman did make sense as Hyde went to the window for a looks-see, "No, it's just Donna's cat

knocking over your Dad's garbage can."

Hyde picked his clothes off the floor to get dressed.

"You're leaving?"

"Yes."

"Are you coming back at 2?"

"I don't think so. What happened to that being our regular time?

Hyde reached for his sunglasses that he put on Eric's desk. "Relax, Forman. I'll be back for your party later.

Remember, what I told you about Donna's gift?"

"I'm not stupid."

"I didn't say you were, Eric. I just wanted to get home before Edna………"

"Oh. I'm sorry."

It was a parental thing. Eric let out a small sigh of relief that it had nothing to do with him.

Hyde went over to kiss him on the lips, "Happy Birthday, Eric. I love you."

"I love you, too, Steven."

"Remember," he whispered softly into his ear, "I swallowed."

**After Eric's party:**

A scented candle? He supposed it was a cool gift. What was Eric going to do now? He wanted to kiss Donna,

then he didn't, then he had to remember it was all an act and it would be okay to kiss her. But you think Hyde

would have shoo-ed the gang out of the house instead of all of them hiding in the kitchen. Did he want to see

Eric make a fool of himself?

He had to get rid of Donna. He blew out the candle.

"What's a matter, Eric, you don't like the gift after all?" Donna asked

"No. It's cool. Thank you."

Why wasn't Hyde getting rid of them?

He didn't want to pretend anymore. It was awful. His mother thought he was too young for Midge's gift of a hot

shaving cream dispenser. His father bought him an 8-track player for the Cruiser, when he specifically asked for a

cassette player and Kitty heard the request wrong, but demanding that because she wrote it down that it was

what he wanted. Steven got him some cool cassettes that they couldn't play in the car until Red returned the

8-track to mostly likely Bargain Bob's and exchanged it for a cassette player. Kitty came home drunk because she

couldn't handle her baby-boy growing up.

"Michael!" Jackie looked at the clock, she didn't want to break curfew, "Take me home, Michael!" She slapped him

across the arm.

"Fine. Damn, Jackie, that hurt!" He was so going to break-up with her the next time he had a chance. Kelso knew

that Laurie was coming onto him earlier in the basement.

Thank God! Eric thought. Eric noticed Jackie giving Donna a "better luck next time" look.

"I had a nice time at your party, Eric. Who's the whore you or Donna?"

He had no time to deal with Fez' grasp or lack thereof of the English language, he just wanted Fez to go home

with Kelso and Jackie.

"He's too funny." Donna said

"We'll I'm beat," Eric replied standing up to stretch and hoped that Pinciotti got the message. "Talk to you

tomorrow, Donna, bye." He gave her a faint kiss on the cheek for the sake of appearances.

Eric made his ungraceful exit not giving Donna a chance to respond. He could hear her walk away back to her

house.

"That was smooth, Forman."

"You weren't helping keeping the gang here!"

"Ssh! Keep your voice down…they're all gone." Hyde held Eric's hands and grabbed the gold paper birthday

crown off the kitchen table and placed it back on Eric's head.

"Thank you for the cassettes."

"No problem…I don't suppose we can steal any of Red's beer?"

"He's got the ears of a hawk."

Hyde laughed. "That's eyes."

"You know what I mean…."

"This shirt looks sexy on you, it makes you look like you have muscles, not much, but some."

Eric blushed.

"But it would look even better on the floor in your room….and I just realized something, Forman."

"What is it, Hyde?"

"I didn't give the birthday boy his birthday whacks yet! It's still your birthday………."

"You have to catch me first…" Eric ran to his room with the urge that Red and Kitty could catch them at any time.

It was very thrilling to the new 17-year-old.

"I got you!"

Hyde whispered in the doorway to Eric's room as he playfully slapped Eric across the bottom.

"That's one! 16 more to go!"

This was much better Eric thought then pretending to love every move Donna Pinciotti made of late. Yes, he

loved her as a person, as a friend. But, he didn't love her in the romantic sense. Not the way he loved the man

giving him his birthday whacks. The man he couldn't love in public because society, fuck society, his parents and

friends wouldn't agree with their life decisions. Well, maybe, Fez would.

"Steven," Eric fell backwards on his own bed, "You still didn't answer my question…"

"Which was?" He swore Forman talked more than Jackie if that was at all possible.

"Why did you keep everyone here?"

"Eric, what was I supposed to say," Hyde took his shirt off, "That they better leave so I could fool around with

you?"

"I see."

Steven had an answer for everything.

"Good. Now let's go to bed."

"This was the best 17th birthday party ever." Eric exclaimed as he received the most romantic kiss of his short

life from the person that he most wanted it the most from.


	3. Streaking

**Chapter 3**

**Streaking**

Eric had to do it.

There was no getting out of it. He might have felt bad of having to do it during Red's speech at President Ford's

re-election stop in Point Place. Kitty was knee-deep in her gender role of baking pies, Bob had this wacky

patriotic Elvis style jumpsuit idea that Donna was upset over, and Jackie's father's business committee, which

included Bargain Bob, were trying to dictate a softball question for Red to ask. The guys were going to streak at

the rally and Hyde said he would write "I hate the fuzz" on his ass with Donna's lipstick, which Eric wondered

who helped him with that considering he didn't have eyes in the back of his head and Hyde didn't come over at

all. After the school and the group time in the basement, he just went home and stayed there. Eric wondered if

he did anything wrong? He was playing his part of being the All-American boy who pined after the All-American

girl. It's not as if he didn't like Donna, she was a friend. He didn't want to hurt her.

Was he seeing another man? They were in the driveway when Kitty assumed they were all going through a 

_Columbo_ phase as they walked in their trench coat hidden nakedness to the Point Place Civic Center.

It was not a good time at the Forman's, Red was still working part-time at the auto plant, even if he was a

salaried manager, the corporation still put a dent in his pay, which made Kitty have to work more hours at the

hospital. Red wanted to know how could this happen to him and Eric wished he had the answers for his father.

Eric had to pursue Donna as if he wanted to do so.

Why didn't Hyde come over early this morning? He had a moment to ask this question when Kelso and Fez

entered the Civic Center first.

"Why didn't you stop by last night?" Eric whispered, "Is there someone else?"

All Hyde did was reply with a "No" in a voice that was just as quiet as Eric's.

It wasn't easy for Hyde either, and he knew that Eric sometimes took that fact for granted. He could deal

without a slap behind the head from Edna or going to bed hungry because there was not enough for dinner.

Hyde loved Eric with all of his heart, but there was more to everything than just being able to love a person.

They all decided not to streak.

Eric couldn't believe it. Hyde was suddenly worried about their trench coats being left behind. What was the

whole point of this?

He did the right thing and exchanged pleasantries to Donna who proclaimed that she was a flag and he

admitted that they were all too chicken (even Steven!) to streak.

Eric almost fell asleep listening to Jack Burkhart's boring introductions although it was pretty funny when the

President couldn't walk without tripping over everything in his path.

Eric looked over at Hyde; he just wanted to be held by his boyfriend. It would be typical of Steven Hyde to push

people away. But wasn't that only supposed to be with women, because he really didn't love them in that way?

It wasn't supposed to be like this!

Mr. Burkhart came back to the stage to the introductions for the question and answer session with President

Ford. Red's name was the first one called. Eric was proud of his father and applauded right along with his

mother.

Eric saw a side of Red that he never did before, that of fear. He was stumbling trying to get the words out of his

mouth. Something that Red never had a problem with as far as Eric was concerned. Did he just ask the softball

question about the best parade that was provided by the Business Committee or would he ask something

else? Kelso announced the obvious that his Dad was bombing. And Eric couldn't let that happen, not to his

father, no matter how gruff he may be; he didn't deserve to be the laughing stock of Point Place.

That was Eric's job.

He remembered the story that Donna reminded him of when he was a little kid and he ran around the town

naked screaming, "Wee wee! Pee pee!" Eric put on the Richard Nixon mask, took off his trench coat, and

instinctively threw it over Donna's head because he DIDN'T want HER to see him naked.

"Wee Wee! Pee pee!"

There was no time to scan the room for Hyde's reaction, there was only one second to realize just exactly what

he had done, where he was, in front of the President of the United States, and that he was naked except for

his shoes and socks and the only thing he could do was to run away from the Secret Service and their dogs,

well actually two, his parents and run like the wind.

Eric ran, frightened, as anyone would be, naked as a jailbird but at least had the decency to take the back way

out of the Civic Center. He actually jilted the Secret Service. Of course, he knew they probably just decided to

stop searching. It was the '70s and kids were still allowed to be kids and do dumb kid things.

He tripped over a rock and with that he felt his trench coat being draped over his body.

Hyde tried not to laugh, "Are you okay, man?"

"Yeah. Thank you for this!" Eric put the coat back on and tied the belt. They weren't in the safety of his

bedroom.

"And to answer your question, I couldn't come over last night. It had nothing to do about us."

"There's something I want to see…." Eric walked over to Hyde and unbuttoned his coat.

"I'll show you what you want to see, Forman."

There was nothing written on Hyde's ass, he didn't much like being naked in public either, so he put his coat

back on.

He didn't do it.

_Eric was finally able to do something that Hyde couldn't. _

He wouldn't rub the feeling in; he loved him too much to do so.

"How did Red do?"

"After you cleared the tension, he asked why did Ford pardon Nixon?"

Eric smiled. "Good one, Red! Do you want to go down by the reservoir?"

"No. The seniors are having a keg party down there tonight, so we really need to get out of here." Hyde gave

Eric a kiss on the cheek.

"Will I see you later?"

"I should specify, Forman. It depends what's going on at home. It has nothing to do with you, if I can't come

over. Okay?"

Eric smiled, kissing Hyde back. "Okay. Thank you for bringing back my coat."

"I'll try….and you did well tonight."

"I didn't streak for Donna, I did it for you."

Hyde smiled. "I know."

After midnight:

Hyde crawled into Eric's bed. "Wee wee. Pee pee. That was classic. You know I have to burn you in the circle

later on." He laughed into his boyfriend's neck.

"I know, but right now, can you do that thing that makes my eyes flutter?"

"Sure, baby," Hyde smiled, "Anything for you."


	4. Eric's Burger Job

**Chapter 4**

**Eric's Burger Job**

***Battle of the Sexists, doesn't get a story, but will be mentioned in this one.**

This could work Hyde theorized as he sat in the Hub after school drinking a soda. He only took part in the Fatso

Burger interview (and gave smart ass comments to the dorky red-haired manager Ricky) to help Eric ease his

nervousness. Kelso only went to show off with Jackie, because her father happened to own the location in Point

Place. And Fez just needed to be with the group. He enjoyed the alone time and hoped that maybe if Eric kept

this job long enough, Donna would grow tired and dump him. It really sucked. She got to plan the birthday gifts,

announce that her parents were going to the Playboy Club and she wanted Eric to come over. Hyde didn't show

it, but he didn't like pretending anymore than Eric did. He still wanted an ashtray, but he wished Donna would

stop being "in like" with Forman.

Steven knew he liked boys when he turned 14. He knew telling people i.e. the adults in his life would not be an

option. It was at Eric's 14th birthday party that he saw his best friend in a new light. He brushed up against him

during pin-the-tail-on-the-donkey (that was Mrs. Forman's idea of birthday party fun for 14-year-old-boys) and

liked it. He couldn't reveal his feelings so the only thing that gave him any sort of gratification that day was

pinning-the-tail on Kelso until he cried.

He loved him; he wanted to be the dominant male in the relationship, the protector, the guardian. Even though

the calendar stated 1976 it might as well be 1876 because Point Place was a very conservative town. He knew

deep down that Eric had to be with Donna as far as the public, family, and friends were concerned. That didn't

mean he didn't secretly wish that Donna would dump him. Donna might have been a cool friend to hang out with

and her family did have some slight dysfunctional issues that he could be sympathetic towards, but the girlfriend

Donna was such a tease. He could admire her for not putting out, and he didn't want her to touch Eric, but she

was just one of those girls who was going to lead her boyfriend down the path of do-everything-I-say, at least

the stereotypically adolescent girl Jackie was honest in her approach, she wore the pants, put Michael on a

short leash, and called the shots. Donna, under the wash of the modern feminist movement had the underlying

opinion that even though we were all supposedly equal that all men were scum, you train them to follow you,

and as long as her ass stayed kissed there would be no problems.

He hated how she treated Eric. You didn't see him keeping score in the games that they played as Donna used

that issue to make her self the superior one in the relationship.

If only she knew truth.

It might set her free, but Hyde wasn't about to take any chances.

"Hyde!"

"Oh, hey, Donna…."

"Were you just now? You were a million miles away."

"I'm here."

She put her red plastic basket of French Fries on the table and Hyde helped himself to one.

"I can't believe Kelso hijacked my party! I just wanted to be alone with Eric." And Eric was clueless when Donna

made her plans.

_So do I. _

"He's working tonight." He reminded

"That sucks."

_It's a bummer. _

"You'll be there, Hyde."

"Yeah."

"You want the rest of these fries? I guess I have to go home and get ready for tonight. See ya."

"Bye."

Eric thought working at Fatso Burger would be a way to get away from the Donna situation, but all it did was cut

into his grades, his chores (both of which were sore spots with Red), and most importantly it cut into his special

Hyde time.

His mother came by earlier in the evening with some hot chicken noodle soup and crackers for him it was a much

needed treat.

When you worked with greasy food all afternoon into the evening the last thing you wanted to eat was a

fast food burger and fries.

He was at the register waiting for his shift to be over when Donna stopped by.

_Why couldn't you be Hyde?_

Eric's heart sank into his chest, now he had to "stop by" with the porch light code and it made him want to

vomit. He made a mental note that he could slash his wrists and it could be all over tomorrow.

2 a.m.

Eric sat up in bed wired from the soda he drank as he waited for Hyde to show up. He fought every urge to

sleep by opening up a can of root beer. He didn't even wait for Hyde to be completely inside his room from the

window.

"Damn you, Hyde!"

"Forman, lower your voice, man."

"I'm very mad at you!"

"Why?"

"Why was Donna at Fatso Burger and not you?"

"I had no choice, Forman. The party was getting unruly, Red was on to it, and he caught us trying to steal some

beer out his garage fridge. I had to get rid of everybody. Which turned out to be a good thing because Bob and

Midge came home early…"

"I noticed that when I was greeted by Bob. Do you know how humiliating it was?"

Eric wanted to cry.

"Jesus, Eric." Hyde took off his glasses, "Come here. Everything we are doing is to protect our secret, I don't like

it anymore than you do." He pulled him in for a tight embrace.

"You smell good." It was a mix of beer, weed, and bath soap.

Hyde laughed. "Oh, Forman. You crack me up, sometimes."

"Did you get your ashtray?"

"No, but Bob scored us some matchbooks. Are you calm now?"

"I will be if we go to the basement and light up."

"Good idea."

"I'm going to quit my job," Eric said before opening the door. "But Donna's going to think it's because of her."

"Let her think it for now."

He was going to miss how dorky and cute Eric looked in his little fast food service uniform.

"Do you think, that maybe, we can tell her about us?"

Eric had this fantasy that Donna would be on THEIR side and she'd be supportive of them and all that went with

it.

"Forman," Hyde stopped Eric from opening the door, "Have you completely lost your mind?"

"Someday, I'm going to have to fuck her and I really don't want to."

"We'll cross that bridge when we get there, Eric." Hyde kept his hand on Eric's as they opened the door.

"Will do."

"Did you bring any food home from Fatso Burger?"

"Yeah, but I can't eat it, it makes me sick…"

"Bring it downstairs, I'm starving."

"It's in the kitchen."

Eric figured Edna didn't cook much tonight and the weed was going to make them even more hungry, when they

arrived in the kitchen Eric threw the Fatso Burger bag that was on the counter to Hyde as he grabbed some

bags of potato chips from the cupboard.

It had to happen sooner or later Eric's whole body jumped when Red came downstairs in his pajamas wrapped

in his blue robe, a Father's Day gift from his favorite child, Laurie.

"What are you two doing up at this hour? Shouldn't you be home, Steven?"

"Um, Dad," Eric felt he owed Hyde this much, "I don't think his Mother cooked dinner….and we were just going to

go the basement…."

"Just go you two."

Red had a soft spot for Steven Hyde, Eric would always tell him and Kitty about his dreadful situation at home

around the family table.

"Thank you, Sir." Eric said, happy that his parents cared about Hyde, maybe in time, they could confide in them?

"You were right," Hyde opened up a bag of chips before the bag of weed, "I am starving…but those are Edna's

super parenting skills at work."

"So, we really didn't lie to Red did we?"

"I know you want it need and tidy with bow on it so you can sleep at night, Forman. But we did lie and you

know it."

Eric sighed.

"Thank you though. Why don't you get us something to drink?"

"Of course." Eric kissed his boyfriend on the cheek on his way to the crate of sodas that were on top of the

deep freeze.

"Steven, I just want to make you happy."

"And you do. I'll tell you something, it's great to have a circle without Fez and Kelso!"

"But is it really a circle, when there's only two of us? What does that make? A straight line!"

With the irony in that statement Eric burst out laughing, which caused Hyde to start laughing in turn.

"There's nothing straight about us." Hyde reminded.

"Except for my hair." Eric continued to laugh and they didn't even light up yet. Seeing Eric lose his inhibitions

made Hyde happy.

"I love you, Eric." He realized he left his sunglasses in Eric's room, which was not a big deal considering Red

assumed Hyde was only here because Edna was the world's worst mother and he needed a safe haven.

Which was true.

The Forman house was his oasis.

"I love you, Steven…. promise me we'll always have this?"

_There he goes thinking again._

"Forman, you need two things – one, what is in this baggie and two, a real good fuck."

Eric knew that Hyde was not one to reveal all of his feelings and the past few months were great, but all Eric

wanted was for these secrets to stop.

In reality unbeknownst to both of them they were only just beginning.

**Author's Note: I'm having writer's block on my **_**Scab**_** story as I'm trying to piece it all together and if I **

**should do it all in one large mutli chaptered stories or break it up into a sequel. This was written months **

**ago, so I decided to put it up. As you can tell I like many of the couplings on the show, canon, or alternate **

**universe. This is my take in the Eric/Hyde slash category. I know not everyone likes slash pairings and **

**that's okay, as Fez would say, "different strokes for different strokes". It's all good. Thanks 4 stopping by **

**and don't forget to leave a review.**

**Since this author's note was written before _The Chronicles of Jackie Burkhart & Steven Hyde, _I didn't **

**forget that story either. This was in my document manager for awhile, time is running out to put this**

**story up before it expires and I made corrections in it so there you go. I realize not everyone likes**

**slash pairings, but for those that do, leave a review. And I promise to update all my other stories when **

**I have chapters written for them.  
**


	5. The Keg

**Chapter 5**

**The Keg**

He almost broke cover in study hall. Eric's whole body shook and he hoped that no one noticed. Donna wanted to pass

notes. _Great_. He was getting more frustrated by the minute. This was _his time_ to think while he pretended to study for

the next test. He was amazed that he wrote the words _BITCH_ on the paper in red Sharpie. She called him a wimp

because he didn't want to skip class. Principal Pridewell, who was overseeing the class, even laughed over the fact that

he, like George Washington, couldn't tell a lie. Not Eric Forman_….he couldn't tell a lie….he was like George Fucking _

_Washington _except that he wasn't featured on the dollar bill._  
_

_His whole fucking pathetic young life was such a lie. _

He wanted to shout it from the rooftops.

It was his idea to make up the-we're-taking-pictures-from-the-yearbook. He didn't see Donna "Miss Want to Skip Class"

come up with anything that got them out of study hall. _He did it. Eric Forman._

_Where was Steven?_

He didn't see him all day.

Now he had to go god-knows-where with his fake girlfriend and be all happy about it. He wondered if Mr. Pridewell

didn't interrupt their note passing would he have had the guts, the courage, to let Donna know that she was being a

bitch? The note was safely in his binder. It could be ammunition for later he thought. Eric didn't think this day could get

any worse when he saw Hyde and Kelso get up from the back seat of the Cruiser woken up from an afternoon nap.

_No, they didn't?  
_

_Not Kelso?_

_Stop being Nervous, Eric Stop._

_They were sleeping, but not sleeping together._

_Not in the high school parking lot!_

_Kelso is straight…Get a grip, Forman._

Eric clutched the steering wheel when Hyde laughed that he couldn't do bad things. Apparently, Eric could only bail on

class if there were only a fire drill. Hyde skipped class lots of times, which included today.

"Was there a fire drill today?"

He was impressed with himself, he wanted Hyde's approval, _it was a big deal to Eric,_ but all he could do was make fun

of him.

_Let Donna think I am a wimp, but not my Steven. _

He sure hoped nothing happened between him and Kelso this afternoon other than them both falling asleep on

separate sides of the Vista Cruiser out of sheer boredom, waiting for Eric to drive them home like any other school

day.

The dim-witted and singular thinker Kelso couldn't have been much of a real conversation partner for the intelligent, but

cynical, authority challenging Hyde. Hyde was deeper in ways that no one except Eric Forman knew about.

_I want to die. _

Then they came across the most beautiful thing on the side of the road.

An abandoned Keg!

* * *

Eric wanted to be alone with Hyde and the next thing he knew Donna was counting down to Kelso coming back to the

basement seconds after he left it…because they could have their keg party in Jackie and Kelso's secret make-out place –

the vacant house on Sherman.

_Steven, I don't want to do this keg party thing…I want to be with you…and yet you aren't even acknowledging me today! _

_Why? Did I do something to offend you? Oh, Steven…talk to me…I get the money part…I'd give you all of my life savings in my_

_ piggy bank if you would just stop this! Why couldn't we have shared the keg and have our own party? Why are you ignoring _

_me today?_

But it didn't stop and the next thing Eric knew there were lies about making volcanoes out of ice. It did slightly surprise

Eric that Kitty didn't question their fib. Then they went to Donna's house to get the plastic volcano cups as the anger

grew inside of him like a tumor.

_Fine! I can do this about face as well…. who just told Jackie "Everybody who matters. And for the first time Jackie, that _

_includes you?" I did! You want a keg party, but you can't have a keg party without a tap! And this is what has you on your _

_knees? Fuck you, Steven!  
_

_I surprised myself. Did I surprise you by standing up to those big dumb jock brothers Destroy and Give Back for breaking the _

_tap Kelso bought? Why won't you acknowledge me? But of course, when you want something from me, you're all suddenly _

_talkative. _

"Red's got Bicentennial swizzle sticks, he's got fake lemons with real lemon juice, he's got toothpicks shaped like

swords. Red Forman is a cocktail dad. And cocktail dads have beer taps."

_You want me to pretend that I'm doing all this for Donna? Of course, I'll get the tap; I have to do everything for you guys. _

_Everything. Steven, why? I'll do it. You won't appreciate it, but I'll do it. Am I just a person for you to fuck and discard? But _

_hey, I could use a drink or about 5 so let me get Red's fucking tap. _

"But enough of this levity, wench! We came here to have a party and as God as my witness,. There will be a party!" _If _

_only for me to get wasted, there will be a party! Steven, do you even care about my feelings?_

* * *

**Later**

"I stole my dad's tap- back from those thieves."

_Fuck._

* * *

When it was all over including Red and Kitty's lecture of how he wasn't raised to do such dumbass things and to remind

him of his grounding period Eric got out of his bed. He had a headache and he didn't even have the pleasure of getting

sloshed. Talking to Donna was awful. He was hurting her. He put his robe on and opened the door. Red and Kitty were

asleep in their room giving him the opportunity to go downstairs to the basement. He was surprised to see Hyde sitting

in his chair watching TV nonchalantly which made Eric wanted to smack him, but he refrained from doing so.

"Fuck you, Steven." Eric said not knowing whether to go back upstairs or to stand his ground.

"Excuse me, _Forman_?"

"You don't know why I'm angry do you? _You ignored me ALL day!_ And then when we find the keg, you know what you

did! And you thought I could only skip school if there was a fire drill. Am I not man enough for you? Am I just someone

for you to throw away like Edna does with the men that she screws?"

Hyde stood up and took a deep breath. It was either that or punch him square in the jaw. He didn't want nor need to

explain that to Mr. and Mrs. Forman. "Thank you for that last remark, man." Hyde started to walk towards the back door.

"Oh, so you're going to leave?"

"Are you done with your little tantrum?"

"It's _NOT_ a tantrum. You ignored me all day. Why couldn't that keg have been just for us? I had to make a deal with

Jackie and she's the devil like Laurie. I had to steal Red's tap. I'd rather have dealt with the police than Red. I got

grounded. I lied to Donna even more, and you don't realize why I'm pissed off?" Eric, feeling exasperated, sat on the

beige sofa.

"One, I did not ignore you on purpose, man. And two, you're the only teenager in Point Place, with the exception of

Jackie, who didn't want to attend a keg party. I'm sorry that you got grounded. You cannot tell Donna the truth for

reasons that we discussed before. Why do you think I'm here? Now?"

"I don't know." Eric looked at the floor.

"Why don't you think about it?"

_Hyde don't leave…Jesus Christ…now that he's gone I can cry. _

Five minutes later Eric felt something cold pressed against his wet cheek. He opened up one weary and red green eye

and saw that Hyde was holding a beer can to his face.

"Where did you get these?"

"Red's fridge in the garage."

_That's his way of saying sorry. I better not make a big deal of this. The best thing that I can do is to sit on the sofa and share _

_a beer (and may be a joint) with my boyfriend. _

"Thanks, Steven…." _We held hands. _"I love you…."

"I love you, too, Eric."

_Without having to show off to the masses and while trying to prove that one is older than they actually are, this was the _

_"keg" party that I wanted all along, the one where precious time was too damn short, the one alone with my Steven. _


End file.
